Reversible hinge



June 5, 1956 l.. w. cLovER REVERSIBLE HINGE Filed June 9, 1952 Fg4 l l INVENTOR. 5 Zea/mrc? Wlooez' @f 4r7oeA/E/ United States Patent REVERSmLE HINGE Leonard Wilkendorf Clover, San Jose, Calif.

Application June 9, 1952, Serial No. 292,528

2 Claims; (Cl. 16-170) This invention relates to hinges and more particularly to a reversible type hinge for doors in dwellings and the like.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application, Serial No. 236,907, which was filed in the United States Patent Office on July 16, 1951, now abandoned. My previously liled application disclosed and described a simplied butt hinge facilitating easy removal and/ or replacement of a door from a door jamb without the need of a removable hinge pin. lt also disclosed one hinge half having a hinge pin extending therefrom and the other hinge half having a socket so formed as to serve in piloting the pin into` working relation therewith. The previous application further included an anti-friction bearing between the two hinge halves in the form of a ball supportcooperable with the hinge pin and socket of the hinge halves-for effecting swinging operation of one hinge half relative to the other with a minimum of effort.

The present application embodies all of the foregoing features and advantages and in addition thereto is particularly directed to hinge halves so constructed as to facilitate either right or left hand swing without any major alteration of structural adjustment.

1t is an object of this invention to provide a hinge having identical halves which are interchangeable albeit reversible one with respect to the other irrespective of the direction of swing required.

Another object is to provide a removable hinge pin adapted for extension from one or theother hinge half with which it is to be associated. In this connection I have provided a hinge pin with a novel binding characteristic for press lit securing into the socket of a desired one of the hinge halves.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following description when read in the light of the drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary section through a doorway with a door in fully opened position hung with the hinges of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of Fig. l with the door removed from the door jarnb thereof.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the hingesfseen in Fig. 1 with its two halves separated as in Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of a complete hinge unit as seen from line 4 4 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged elevational view of the one complete hinge unit shown in Fig. l with parts thereof shown in section for purposes of illustration.

Fig. 6 is an elevation of the hinge pin only, forming a part of my invention.

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary section through a door jamb with a door in closed position to illustrate the disposition of my new reversible hinge in relation thereto.

Referring to the drawing the improved hinge as identied by reference number 10 consists of complementary halves 11 and 11 each including a wing 13 and 13' ICC 2V respectively. Each hinge half 11 and 11 also includes a barrel 15 and 15', respectively, which is preferably formed integrally with the respective wing portion 13 and 13' as the case may be.

Each hinge half in its blank form is identical to the other in so far as the shape of the barrel and the respective wing is concerned. Moreover, each barrel 15-15 is bored axially to provide a socket 17-17 of a suitable depth to receive a goodly portion of a hinge pin 19 for maintaining the barrels 15-15 of each hinge unit in axial alignment. The combined depths of the two sockets 17 and 17' must be sufficient to accommodate a ball 20 in addition to the pin 19, the base of each socket being countersunk to provide an annularly chamfered seat 21-21 for the ball 20 or the frusto-conical. free end 22 of the pin 19 as best shown in Fig. 5.

The hinge halves 11-11 when joined upon the single hinge pin have the horizontal faces 23-23' of each barrel 15-15 facing each other. It should here be noted that these. two'rfaces .23S-23.l never engage each other but are maintained in spaced relation, however slightly, by reason of the fact that the ball 2i) and pin 19 are of a combined length calculated to engage the respective seats 21-21 in the sockets 1'7-17.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that the socket 17--17 of either barrel 15-15 is adapted to receive the ball 2l) while the head end 22 of the pin is receivable in the socket of the opposite barrel. In this connection, the head end 22 of the pin 19 has a slit 24 cut into it diametrically and downwardly to a depth slightly in excess of two times. the diameter of the pin. When the pin- 19 is thus slit at its end the segmental portions 25-25 at either side of the slit 24 have a tendency to bow outwardly however slightly. This inherent but slight outward bowing of the segments 25-25 renders the head end 22 of the pin of slightly greater size than the normal diameter of the pin. Consequently, although the sockets 17-17 are bored to provide suitable clearance to receive the normal diameter of the pin, it will require sufficient pressure to force the slightly oversized headend 22 of the Vpin into one or the other of theA sockets.

It should here be noted that the opposing faces 23-23.' of the barrel portions 15-15 are each countersunk as at S26-J6', respectively. This countersinking of each face serves as a guide for piloting either end of the pin 19 into the respective socket 17 or 17. ln the casek of the slightly oversized head portion 22 of the pin'it will be apparent that itsr frusto-conical free edge 2.2 will be guided by the countersinking 26 or 26 into axial alignmentvwith Ithe socket as well as the barrel. Moreover, this frusto-conical or beveled free edge 22. ofthe oversized portion of the pin is thereby easily cammedand compressed when the pin is forced down into the socket.

Since the enlarged end 22of the pin 19 is press-lit into a particular socket in the manner as aforesaid, it will be apparent that the pin will be suitably secured to the particular barrel and will not fall out or become detached therefrom other than when it is pulled out manually. The pin 19 will therefore Vextend downwardly from the barrel to which it is attached as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3, when the hinge Wings are secured to the door and jamb, respectively, and thereby facilitate easy connection or removal of the door relative to the jamb.

Whether the hinge herein disclosed is to be used for either right or left hand swing is immaterial. The same hinge unit can be used in either case because of its reversibility which will now be explained. As hereinbefore mentioned, each hinge half 11 and 11' is identical. lt is also adapted for connection to door .or jamb for either right or left hand swing because of the radial extension of the wing portion 13 or 13 from its particular barrel 15-15. ln other words, there is no offsetting of the 3 wing portions relative to the barrel as is required in previously known hinges.

In addition to the foregoing, it will be noted that each wing 13 or 13 is of a height which is within the tcp and bottom extremities of the respective barrel portion. In this manner the one or upper half 11 of the hinge unit is free to swing through an entire circle (360) relative to its companion or lower half 11 of the hinge.

From the foregoing it is now obvious that irrespective of which way a door is to swing relative to a jarnb, one and same hinge unit can be employed in either case. For this reason the bores 2.7 through each wing portion 13 or 13' is countersunk from each side thereof as at 28 and/or 28. In this manner, no matter which way the attaching screw S is to extend through a particular wing, the wing is adapted to receive the head H of the screw on either side.

Referring now to Fig. 7 it will be noted that the inode of attaching the hinge wing of the present invention to a door frame F or to the edge of a door D is such that the vertical or pivotal axis A of the hinge unit is always disposed centrally between the door and frame despite the fact that there is no offsetting of the hinge wings relative to the respective barrel portion. This is accomplished by the chiseling of a seat C into the jamb or door edge on an angle comparable to the radial disposition of the hinge wing relative to the axis A of the hinge. Of course, the seat C' for the wing 13 of the upper hinge half 11' is chiselled, preferably in the edge of the swingable member or door D, above a horizontal line bisecting the hinge units. Conversely, the seat C for the wing 13 of the lower half hinge 11 is chiselled into the face of the frame F below the horizontal line bisecting the hinge unit. Since the wing portions 13-13 are to be disposed radially of the axis A of the hinge 10, the seats C and C are more shallow at their margin closest to the hinge axis. The opposite margin, i. e., the one most remote from the hinge axis, is just deep enough to receive the full thickness of the hinge wing and is disposed perpendicular to the base -bof the seat which is parallel to a line extending radially from the axis A of the hinge.

From the foregoing description and disclosure it is apparent that I have provided a simple form of antifriction hinge of the reversible type in that it is suited for use in either left or right hand swing type doors without interchangeability of parts. In other words, each hinge half is absolutely identical and will therefore fit for either upper or lower position in an installation irrespective of which way the door is to swing relative to the jamb. Moreover, the socket formed in the barrel of either hinge half is suited for the reception of and attachment to the hinge pin so that the pin will extend from that particular barrel portion a proper distance to rest upon the anti-friction ball in the seat provided in the base of the socket of any other hinge half regardless of whether it was previously identified or paired with another hinge half. That is to say, no pairing of hinge valves is necessary beforehand because any half will work with another because of their identical structure and form and reversability with respect to each other.

While I have described my new hinge structure and its mode of operation in specic detail, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that it can be modified, varied or altered without departing from the spirit of my invent'ion. I therefore desire to avail myself of all modifications, variations and alterations as fairly come within the purview of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In a hinge of the type having identical upper and lower hinge halves each including a wing portion formed integrally with a socketed barrel portion adapted to be joined for swinging relation by a hinge pin; a slit formed in one end of said hinge pin to a depth between one and two diameters of said pin, the portions of the pin on opposite sides of the slit being bowed outwardly relative to each other for press tit into the socket in the barrel of the upper of said hinge halves whereby the remaining portion of said hinge pin will extend from the barrel in which it is press fitted without falling out irrespective of the pendant position of said remaining portion of said hinge pin relative to the barrel in which it is press tted for ready insertion into the socket formed in the barrel of the lower one of said hinge halves, the opposing faces of said barrel portions being countersunk coaxially of the sockets therein for guiding the free end of said hinge pin extending from the upper of said hinge halves into the socket formed in the barrel of the lower hinge half.

2. In a hinge of the type having identical upper and lower hinge halves each including a wing portion formed integrally with a socketed barrel portion adapted to be joined for swinging relation by a hinge pin; a slit formed in one end of said hinge pin to a depth between one and two diameters of said pin, the portions of said pin on opposite sides of said slit being bowed outwardly relative to each other for press t into the socket in the barrel of the upper of said hinge halves, whereby the remaining portion of said hinge pin will extend from said socket without falling out irrespective of the pendant position of said remaining portion of said hinge pin relative to the barrel in which it is secured, the opposing faces of said barrel portions being countersunk coaxially of the socket therein, and said hinge pin having a fmsto conical free end for ready insertion into the socket formed in the barrel of the other of said hinge halves.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 28,937 Zimmerman lune 26, 1860 112,417 Carleton Mar. 7, 1871 898,647 Herr Sept. l5, 1908 1,125,177 Rixson Jan. 19, 1915 2,532,772 Kamfjord Dec. 5, 1950 2,536,445 Hoffman lan. 2, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS 5,146 Great Britain Mar. 1, 1911 6,027 Great Britain Mar. 22, 1894 63,067 Switzerland Dec. 14, 1912 198,651 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1938 633,578 Germany Mar. 8, 1935 994,970 France Aug. 14, 1951 

